newb here. im a Army veteran, survivalist, outdoorsman, gardener and farmer. just starting to get into coms. always had a cb in the truck. i currently have a set of handheld marine radios. i plan to invest in more. looking forward to learn more about them from you knowledgeable folks as im not that tech savvy.
Welcome. There is a good knowledge base here.
moose71
Glad to have you in this group. Lot’s of nice talented people here, always willing to help. GMRS is a great replacement for Citizens Band. With 50 watt max base station and mobile radios, along with high quality portable radios (walkie-talkies), it allows for perfect 2-way FM communication. Some include the National Weather Service alert band which can be a life saver when you’re out in the middle of nowhere! NWS transmits at 1000 watts, FM.
There are over 750 Weather Radio transmitters across the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Pacific Territories, and the number is growing.
Once again, welcome aboard.
Tom WRQE346
Welcome to comm. With your description of your activities, radio should prove to be very useful. Maine is a beautiful state. Although I reside in Texas of all places, we have been to Maine five times. My spouse worked at a summer camp there many years ago. Love visiting there but we are flying a lot less these days and it is one heck of a drive from our neck of the woods.
The more friends, family and contacts you want or need to stay in touch with, the more use you will find for radio. Maine being a serious water activity state, sounds like you are plugged into the marine radio side. GMRS is similar for use on land.
I checked on mygmrs,com which sometimes has repeaters listed. Found none in Maine, But it is voluntary to list your repeater so the data can be out of date.
I would search on line for GMRS clubs in Maine. It is often a popular radio choice
for off road, 4wd clubs,. Hopefully, with some searching you can make a local contact that can let you know about local activity. There are many youtube videos these days on all aspects of the radio hobby for GMRS, Ham, MURS, etc. From the equipment, getting started, the FCC rules, you name it. Lots of info right here on this site too. Read, videos, and ask questions. There are helpful people around. Radio can be fun, useful and sometimes add a level of safety. With a 25 foot antenna at your home, you can have a ten mile or more reliable circle of range depending on terrain. That can be a useful backup to cell systems that go out.
In the west half of Texas with fewer trees, we can often do ten miles just between two vehicles. With one vehicle on higher ground, you might double that. Watch those videos on youtube. You will learn a lot. Welcome to the hobby.